Scene Summary: Night Errands

Night Errands
Chronicle	DC Chronicle
Game Date	November 22, 2015
Real Date	March 2-4, 2016
Characters	Ginevra Bianchi Jacque Beaumont
Locations	Embassy Row Midnight Mug The Wharf
Previous Scene	Regrets of the Dying (Ginevra) To Fight Another Day (Jacque)
Next Scene	Don't Kiss, Do Tell (Ginevra) Night Classes (Jacque)
Content Warnings	Mind Control, Violence
Original Scene	Night Errands

Night Errands is a scene from the DC Chronicle featuring Ginevra Bianchi and Jacque Beaumont]]. It depicts Ginevra rescuing Jacque and delivering him to his meeting after his recent mugging.

Scene Summary

Ginevra rides in a rented car toward The Wharf, worrying about Jacque's call for help and wondering what happened to him. Jacque is waiting in a bus shelter, where his injuries and distress force him to exercise self-control to avoid attacking the few passersby in the area. Ginevra's car arrives and parks, and she gets out to look for him. He joins her but is dismayed about the presence of the driver, worried that they may not be able to speak freely in front of him, but Ginevra confirms that he probably doesn't speak English and they agree to speak only in Italian or over text message.

Jacque gets in the car and Ginevra checks him for injuries as he explains that he was mugged, shocking her. She asks what happened and he explains that he is not completely sure but that he suspects that Angelique Stravinsky had him mugged as revenge for insulting her. He tells Ginevra that he has a meeting he cannot miss and that he needs new clothes as well as blood before he can attend it. Ginevra is surprised and angry that people would gang up on Jacque as well as having trouble believing that Angelique would do such a thing, but agrees to get him what he needs. She drops Jacque off on Embassy Row to feed while she goes to fetch him him clothing.

Jacque finds a young man smoking behind a restaurant and feeds from him, using both Presence and Dominate to keep him from fighting and cause him to forget what happened afterward. He also takes the man's cigarettes and smokes while he waits. Ginevra goes to Zadig & Voltaire to purchase Jacque a new suit and other items of clothing, on the way discussing Maeve's accounts with the sales staff, and wishes that she were dressing Jacque, on whom she has a crush, under happier circumstances.

Ginevra returns to Embassy Row and finds Jacque, who she gives the new clothing so that he can change in the bathroom of the nearby Midnight Mug coffee shop. Once he has done so, they agree that he looks much better and should be presentable at his meeting. Jacque thanks Ginevra and she hugs him before hurrying away, leaving the car behind for him to use. He watches her go and muses on how much he likes her and is lucky that she was available to rescue him.

Script Summary

The script summary for this scene pares it down to only dialogue and action directions, allowing for a quicker and easier read through what was actually said and done by the characters. Click on the "Expand" tag to the right to view the entire script summary for this scene.

Night Errands Script Summary

Ginevra is in a rented car, looking at her phone as it drives toward The Wharf. The car pulls to the side of the road and she gets out. Jacqe is sitting in a bus shelter nearby. A man stumbles into the shelter with him, then after a moment leaves again. Ginevra closes the car door and Jacque gets up and jogs over to the car. Ginevra turns around.

GINEVRA: Oh, thank god, there you are.

She waves him toward her and holds open the car door. Jacque waves and shakes his head.

JACQUE: I do not have much time and I think I will need your help with more than a car. May we speak freely in front of your, ah, friend? Or...

GINEVRA: Who? Oh! Uh... no, he's just a driver. He probably doesn't speak Italian, though? It's the car we've got right now, so here, let's get you out of the street.

She pulls a handkerchief out of her bag and offers it to Jacque.

GINEVRA: Here. If we can't talk, can you text me?

Jacque nods.

JACQUE: Right. We will be delicate in what we say then. I will text if I need. To clarify.

He gets into the back seat of the car and moves aside. Gienvra brushes dirt off the seat and gets in behind him. Jacque mops his face with the handkerchief.

JACQUE: Thank you.

GINEVRA: You're welcome.

There is a pause.

JACQUE: I was... I was attacked. I am all right now, but I have a meeting tonight that I cannot miss. And I barely feel right ruining this man's car with the filth on my suit, I cannot go like this. There are a few complications.

GINEVRA: Don't worry, I'll add to his bill for cleaning. Now, you were attacked? Do we need to worry about being followed? Here, hold still.

She takes a small flashlight from her bag and turns it on, then puts it in her mouth and takes Jacque's face in her hands to look him over.

JACQUE: Yes, I was attacked. No, I do not think anyone is following us. They meant to... deliver a message.

GINEVRA: All right, you look all right otherwise.

JACQUE: I am all right.

Ginevra snorts and puts the flashlight away again. She takes a handful of packets of wet wipes from her bag and begins opening them and handing them to Jacque, who takes them and begins cleaning his face.

GINEVRA: We'll get you a suit, I can have someone find one and meet us there. It'll be off-the-rack unless you want me to send someone to your place, but it should do in a pinch. Where are we taking you?

JACQUE: Back to Limbo. Wait. No, I am sorry. Perhaps... Somewhere nearby? I need to eat. And any thing you can find me to wear will do. Thank you.

Ginevra takes out her phone and dials.

GINEVRA: Measurements? I wish you'd said, I could have brought something.

She pulls out her second phone and updates the directions for the car. Jacque gives her his measurements and cleans blood out of his hair with the wipes. He undoes the first buttons of his shirt and cleans his neck.

JACQUE: I should have said before. I am sorry. I was not thinking clearly.

He sighs and rebuttons his shirt.

GINEVRA: Do you want to tell me about this message?

Jacque leans back against his seat.

JACQUE: There has been a misunderstanding. Our Russian friend, who visited you earlier... I believe this is her doing.

GINEVRA: What? But — that doesn't make any sense, why would she do something like this?

JACQUE: I do not know. I feel that there is more to it, but... I slighted her when I first arrived, which may play a part. One of the people that attacked me said that it was because I had disrespected a certain lady. It is the only thing that comes to mind as appropriate.

GINEVRA: People?

The car arrives on Embassy Row and parks along the street. Ginevra makes shooing motions at Jacque.

GINEVRA: Never mind, later. Here, go, well, eat. I'll get the suit and be back in a few minutes. Don't disrespect any more ladies while I'm gone.

Jacque nods and gets out of the car.

JACQUE: I will meet you here when I am done. I will try to be quick.

Ginevra uses her phone to update directions and add a tip for the driver and the car leaves. It drives toward the shopping district and parks outside Zadig & Voltaire. Ginevra gets out and goes inside, where a sales associate apologizes to her for not having anything prepared. Ginevra chooses a suit and charges it to Maeve's accounts, then takes it outside and gets back into the car. She texts Maeve as the car drives back toward Embassy Row.

Back on Embassy Row, Jacque finds a young man smoking behind a restaurant. He uses the Presence discipline to make the man like him.

JACQUE: Excuse me, could I bother you for a cigarette?

Jacque feeds from the man and then helps him to a restroom, where he uses the Dominate discipline to make him forget being fed from and think that he is sick and needs to go home and rest. He takes the man's cigarettes and returns to the street. He starts his circulation and smokes a cigarette. Ginevra's car returns and parks on the street near him. She gets out carrying garment bags and bites her lip.

GINEVRA: Better?

Jacque drops his cigarette and puts it out with his shoe.

JACQUE: Much better, thank you.

GINEVRA: Where do you want to change? You'll want to do that before we actually get you to Limbo, I assume.

She shakes her head and points at Midnight Mug.

GINEVRA: There, go on and use the men's room. You'll have more room than trying to manage it in the back of a car with me.

JACQUE: Ah, yes. Right.

He takes the garment bags from Ginevra.

JACQUE: Convenience sadly wins over company. I, ah, will be right back.

He goes into Midnight Mug and changes into the suit in the bathroom. He puts the old suit in a garment bag and returns to the street a few minutes later.

JACQUE: Am I presentable again?

GINEVRA: I think you'll do. Well, I hope so. I actually have no idea where you're going, but you didn't come back out to tell me this wouldn't work.

JACQUE: No, no. I am sure this will do. Thank you.

He steps toward Ginevra.

JACQUE: I mean, actually thank you for everything tonight. I do not know what I would have done without you, Ginevra. I—

He clears his throat.

JACQUE: I am very fortunate to know you.

GINEVRA: I'm sure you would have managed. But I'm glad I could help. I told you to call if you needed something, remember? I'm pretty sure this qualifies.

She also clears her throat.

GINEVRA: You should go ahead and take the car, I'll send it the right way and get another one. I have errands before I can go home anyway.

She hugs him quickly and then backs away.

GINEVRA: Go, shoo, and stop getting mugged!

She leaves, pulling out her phone as she does. Jacque gets back in the car and it drives toward Limbo.

Trivia

• This scene takes place entirely in Italian, but has been translated here for ease of reference.
  
  
• Jacque's mugging takes place immediately before this scene in To Fight Another Day.
  
  
• The unknown muggers that Jacque is recovering from were Emilio Gonzalez and Velvet; he is correct that they were acting on behalf of Angelique Stravinsky.
  
  
• Jacque's reference to Ginevra's "Russian friend" refers to her and Angelique having coffee recently in When the Cat's Away.
  
  
• Jacque's mention of having slighted Angelique refers to the events of La Vie d'une Rose.
  
  
• Jacque's impending appointment is chronicled immediately after this scene in Night Classes.